This invention relates to a mine stopping, and more particularly to a mine stopping comprising a plurality of metal panels, and a method of and jack for installing same.
So-called mine "stoppings" are widely used in mines to stop off flow of air in passages in the mines, a stopping generally being installed at the entrance of a passage to block flow of air therethrough. This invention especially involves an improvement on the mine stopping of the type such as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,064 comprising a plurality of elongate extensible panels extending vertically in side-by-side relation from the floor to the roof of a passageway in a mine. Each panel has a head and a foot each comprising a metal plate secured to the upper and lower ends of the panel and means on each plate for sealing the stopping to the roof and floor of the passageway. A problem encountered with the prior mine stopping is the loss of the structural integrity of the stopping on relative lateral movement of the ribs toward one another which may occur when there is shifting and heaving of the mine in the vicinity of the passageway. The head and foot secured at the ends of each panel significantly limit the extent to which the panels can deform elastically under a compressive load with the result that undesireable permanent deformation and, perhaps, structural failure of one or more panels of the prior mine stopping may occur upon such lateral movement of the ribs.